Red Bull leave Primoz Roglic Vuelta decision until final days

Roglič's Vuelta prospects were already rated at 50/50 earlier this week after the Slovenian was forced to miss both the Clásica San Sebastián and Vuelta a Burgos following a collision with a car in late July.

With the start in Monaco now approaching, there has been little improvement in the uncertainty surrounding the four time Vuelta winner.

According to AS, Roglič continues to experience discomfort from the incident and his recovery has not progressed as positively as hoped.

“We will have to see in a week,” a source close to Roglič told the Spanish newspaper, suggesting that Red Bull could take the decision on his Vuelta participation deep into race week.

The German team is expected to announce its final eight rider squad at the beginning of next week, only a matter of days before the team presentation in Monaco on 20 August and the opening stage two days later.

Roglič does at least have one logistical advantage. The 36-year-old lives in Monaco, meaning he can continue his recovery at home without needing to travel ahead of the race.

But even if he is cleared to start, questions over his condition are unlikely to disappear.

San Sebastián and the Vuelta a Burgos had both been included in Roglič's schedule as his final competitive preparation for the Vuelta. Instead, his last race remains the Slovenian national championships at the end of June, where he won the time trial before finishing fourth in the road race.

That means Roglič could line up for the Vuelta having spent almost two months without racing, while his intended final preparation has been replaced by a race against time to recover from the collision.

The situation is particularly significant given how heavily Roglič had built his 2026 season around the Vuelta.

After winning the race for a fourth time in 2024, he entered this year with the opportunity to move clear of Roberto Heras and become the first rider to win the Spanish Grand Tour five times. His programme was designed with that objective in mind, including a lengthy altitude camp in Sierra Nevada in June.

His 2026 season has so far produced one victory from 28 race days, at the Slovenian time trial championships, while fifth at Tirreno-Adriatico remains his best general classification result.

The scale of his Vuelta challenge has also increased considerably following confirmation that Tadej Pogačar will start in Monaco. The world champion is expected to begin the race as the clear favourite for overall victory.

For Roglič, though, the more immediate concern is simply making it to the start line in Monaco.